--- title: Most Americans Think College Prices Are Unfair description: Most Americans think a college degree leads to higher earnings, but they still think the costs are unaffordable, a new study finds. authors: - name: Adam Hardy role: Lead Data Reporter url: https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/ bio: Adam Hardy has eight years of experience in personal finance journalism. At Money, he’s written extensively about student loans, including guides, explainers and breaking news. MuckRack named Adam one of the top 10 journalists covering student loans in the nation. education: University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism at_money_since: 2021 articles: 499 covers: - Education - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology also_seen_in: - The Penny Hoarder - Forbes Advisor - Creative Loafing - The New York Times - The Washington Post - Bloomberg - Harvard Law School - The Federal Register - National Consumer Law Center - CBS News - Becker's Hospital Review - Business Insider - Mother Jones - The Week - Fortune - The Philadelphia Inquirer - National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA) - Education Advisory Board (EAB) - The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) - This Morning with Gordon Deal - Empower - Reddit social: - https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/ editors: - name: Kaitlin Mulhere role: Editor url: https://money.com/author/kaitlin-mulhere/ bio: Kaitlin Mulhere is an editor at Money.com. Since joining in 2015, she’s written and edited about a variety of personal finance topics, including banks, credit, student debt, saving strategies and more. education: University of Florida at_money_since: 2015 articles: 217 covers: - Education - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes social: - https://twitter.com/KMulhere - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-mulhere-64503048/ published: '2025-03-24T14:18:23.000Z' modified: '2025-03-24T14:18:23.000Z' section: Education word_count: 501 canonical: https://money.com/college-prices-unfair-survey/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Photo collage of an unhappy student, standing in-front of a college campus](https://img.money.com/2025/03/College-Students-Think-Costs-Unfair.jpg) Few Americans say college degrees are priced fairly these days, a new study shows, and the increasing cost of attendance continues to keep many high school graduates from continuing their education. Only 18% of Americans who haven't earned a degree say that four-year colleges charge fair prices, according to the annual [State of Higher Education Study](https://news.gallup.com/poll/657686/college-prices-seen-unfair-worth-investment.aspx) released this week by Gallup and Lumina, a higher education nonprofit foundation. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said prices at four-year colleges were not fair, while 22% responded they were unsure. Respondents had a slightly less grim view of community colleges, however, with 40% stating that two-year colleges are priced fairly. ## Cover your college expenses with a Student Loan, so you can focus solely on your grades and education. ### With a Student Loan from College Ave, you can worry less about tuition and devote your energy to mapping out your future. Click on your state and take the first step today. [View Rates](https://money.com/pr/u3e72cf8ee70?ap_referrer=%2Fcollege-prices-unfair-survey%2F&apxa1=college-degree-pays-off-timeline) Lumina’s vice president of impact and planning, Courtney Brown, says that the findings underscore “a growing frustration with the affordability of higher education.” “This isn’t just a perception issue,” she adds. “It reflects real challenges students and families face when trying to finance a degree.” The annual study, which launched during the pandemic, surveyed over 14,000 U.S. adults with at least a high-school diploma or equivalent this year. Most respondents had some college experience — being either currently or previously enrolled — and about 3,000 had never enrolled in a higher education program. None of them held a degree when the survey was fielded in October 2024. ## College costs are a core barrier Over the past couple decades, college costs have soared, far outpacing inflation and wage gains, according to a Money analysis of wage and college cost data from the Departments of Labor and Education. Since 2000, for instance, sticker price of tuition, room and board at four-year institutions [has spiked 140%](https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_330.10.asp), while community college costs jumped 125%. Overall inflation during that same period rose 76%, and wages for all workers (including degree holders) increased 83%. Because of these trends, “too many people feel priced out of the opportunities that higher education provides,” Brown says. Separate Gallup and Lumina [surveys](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/cost-of-college/) in [recent](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-state-of-higher-education-2022-report/) [years](https://www.luminafoundation.org/resource/the-state-of-higher-education-2023-report/) consistently show college costs as the top reason Americans aren’t pursuing (or completing) a higher education program. At the same time, the groups’ most recent survey shows that most Americans do see college as a pathway to a better-paying job and future, with a majority saying they believe a college degree pays off within five to 10 years. And the earnings data backs that up. A February study from Georgetown University analyzed median incomes for attendees of 4,600 different institutions, finding that [the typical student had a return on investment of $174,000](https://money.com/colleges-biggest-roi-georgetown-report/) after 10 years (and $1.5 million after 40 years). Getting to that point can be a leap of faith. In the minds of potential college students, it’s a constant cost-benefit analysis. “The public isn’t questioning whether higher education matters, but rather whether they can afford it,” Brown says. “That distinction is critical.” ## Compare Student Loan companies to find the right fit ### Cover up to 100% of your college costs ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/24903/medium_b6089714-807b-4b5a-88f9-defb35d74711.png) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/f9853f0d8944?bidid=4060073039&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=665426893&ptoken=214ee9d7e5a0672b69a40b0c1a89d499&apxa1=college-degree-pays-off-timeline) ### Apply online in minutes ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/29957/medium_1bf2c50c-d2fe-4492-bad2-f4bca2475954.webp) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/f8f29a227cca?bidid=4060073038&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=665426893&ptoken=4b3aa68bd72f7b7eddfd3d6789b951f8&apxa1=college-degree-pays-off-timeline) ### No fees ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/38573/medium_5a7ddb75-a315-44cf-8526-1594057ec7d6.webp) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/08214e0b84a3?bidid=4060073043&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=665426893&ptoken=f17c32539d3927fd20b298236686a967&apxa1=college-degree-pays-off-timeline) ### Provides customized private loan options for students ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/38575/medium_3b0e137f-8ec1-4f32-a340-85efa53e0aab.webp) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/21c5a1498499?bidid=4060073042&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=665426893&ptoken=4883cf1a089384843d632d746d5b4ecc&apxa1=college-degree-pays-off-timeline) ### Rates starting at 2.99% ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/38576/medium_d3a42618-1276-44ce-95cf-561a8f89efa8.webp) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/758b16c85a6b?bidid=4060073046&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=665426893&ptoken=5f13b119a8eaabb8c26d79ef7bad63b5&apxa1=college-degree-pays-off-timeline) ![](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/24903/medium_b6089714-807b-4b5a-88f9-defb35d74711.png) Reach new academic heights with College Ave [View Rates](https://money.com/pr/y61180a308af?ap_referrer=%2Fcollege-prices-unfair-survey%2F&apxa1=college-degree-pays-off-timeline) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/college-prices-unfair-survey/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Education", "item": "https://money.com/education/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "College", "item": "https://money.com/college/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most Americans Think College Prices Are Unfair" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/college-prices-unfair-survey/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/college-prices-unfair-survey/", "name": "Most Americans Think College Prices Are Unfair", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2025-03-24T14:18:23.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/college-prices-unfair-survey/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/college-prices-unfair-survey/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2025-03-24T14:18:23.000Z" }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "Most Americans Think College Prices Are Unfair", "articleSection": "Education", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2025/03/College-Students-Think-Costs-Unfair.jpg", "width": 2344, "height": 1563, "caption": "College-Students-Think-Costs-Unfair" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Hardy", "url": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/#author", "description": "Adam Hardy has eight years of experience in personal finance journalism. 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